1. Field
A heat exchanger is disclosed herein.
2. Background
In general, a heat exchanger is an apparatus used in a heat-exchanging cycle. The heat exchanger may serve as a condenser or evaporator to heat-exchange a refrigerant flowing therein with an external fluid.
The heat exchanger is generally classified into a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger and a micro-channel type heat exchanger according to its shape. The fin-and-tube type heat exchanger includes a plurality of fins and a tube having a circular shape or a shape similar thereto, which passes through the plurality of fins. The micro-channel type heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat tubes through which a refrigerant flows and a fin disposed between the plurality of flat tubes.
In both of the fin-and-tube type heat exchanger and the micro-channel type heat exchanger, a refrigerant flowing into the tube or flat tube is heat-exchanged with an external fluid, and the fin(s) functions to increase a heat exchange area between the external fluid and the refrigerant flowing in the tube or the flat tube.
A related art micro-channel type heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes, first and second headers respectively, coupled to both sides of the plurality of tubes, and a heat dissipation fin provided between the plurality of tubes to allow heat exchange between a refrigerant and external air to be easily performed. In addition, a related art micro-channel type heat exchanger may include a baffle provided in each of the first and second headers, the baffle guiding a change in direction of a refrigerant flow path, corresponding to a volume and flow speed, caused by a phase change of a refrigerant. A plurality of the baffle may be provided inside each of the first and second headers.
The present Applicant has filed an application (hereinafter, referred to as a “prior document”) related to such a micro-channel type heat exchanger, and the prior document has been registered, as Korean Registration No. KR 10-0547320, on Jan. 20, 2006 and entitled “Micro-channel Heat Exchanger”, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
According to the related art heat exchanger, a refrigerant is not uniformly introduced into each tube. That is, a large amount of refrigerant is introduced into one tube among a plurality of tubes, and a relatively small amount of refrigerant is introduced into the other tubes.
More particularly, a refrigerant flow path formed in the tube is formed in only one direction toward a second header from a first header, and therefore, the refrigerant is not uniformly introduced into the plurality of tubes due to acceleration of the refrigerant.
Also, according to the related art heat exchanger, a plurality of baffles is provided in each of the first and second headers. Therefore, a large cost is incurred, and a manufacturing process is complicated. Further, according to the related art heat exchanger, refrigerant leakage occurs at a coupling portion between the header and the tube.